Rubbers which have been used in the manufacture of such as tire tread compositions include natural rubber and various synthetic polymers such as polyisoprene, butyl rubber, polybutadiene, styrene/butadiene copolymers, ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymers, and others, alone or in various admixtures. Blends of chlorinated butyl rubber or isobutylene/cyclopentadiene copolymer, with styrene/butadiene copolymer and polybutadiene have been suggested for tire tread compositions to improve wet skid resistance, particularly for pneumatic tires.
When discussing wet skid resistance, the commonly considered application is that of automobile and truck tires. However, the necessity for avoiding a slippery condition when the rubber surface is wet is necessary in a wide range of cured rubber compositions, not only automobile and truck tires, but such as rubber stair treads, rubber walkways, rubber mats, rubber belting for machinery, rubber heels for shoes, and the like. One of the known hazards of many of these utility surfaces is the fact that when the rubber surface is wet with water, it becomes relatively slippery, and hazardous to the user. Of course, for tires in particular, the increasing traffic population has imposed many safety requirements, and necessitated improved automobile handling characteristics even under adverse conditions. Improved wet skid resistance can be a sizeable factor in avoiding at least some of the injuries and deaths which are a consequence of the American love for the automobile.